Match-book display plaque

ABSTRACT

In a preferred embodiment, a plaque including an aperture in an upper portion of the structure for hanging on a peg or nail or the like, flatly against a wall, the front being substantially flat and having on at least opposite edges of the plaque, forwardly extending structures receivable of a crossbar which when opposite ends of the crossbar are mounted in the opposing side supports, the crossbar extending substantially parallel to plaque front flat face and along a substantially horizontal axis such that one or more matchbook covers are suspendable on the bar when the matchbook covers are closed and the bar inserted through the passages defined by the closed matchcovers, typically there being a series of mounted bars spaced along the face of the plaque ranging from the bottom to the top thereof and all being about parallel to the horizontal axis.

United States 1 MATCH-BOOK DISPLAY PLAQUE [76] Inventor: George W.Schael, Jr., 3 Chiplon Ln., Scotch Plains, NJ. 07076 [22] Filed: Apr.17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 244,641

[52] US. Cl. 211/13, 40/124 [51] Int. Cl. .Q A471 7/00 [58] Field ofSearch 211/13, 16, 105.1, 211/106, 123, 87; 40/1.5, 124

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,367,509 2/1968 Cabe 211/87118,380 8/1871 Monroe 40/124 850,243 4/1907 McKeny.... 40/124 1,365,3881/1921 Ede 40/124 1,966,570 7/1934 Weatherford 40/124 2,583,459 l/l952Wyles 211/13 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 5/1962 Switzerland 40/124Jan. 1, 1974 [5 7] ABSTRACT In a preferred embodiment, a plaqueincluding an aperture in an upper portion of the structure for hangingon a peg or nail or the like, flatly against a wall, the front beingsubstantially flat and having on at least opposite edges of the plaque,forwardly extending structures receivable of a crossbar which whenopposite ends of the crossbar are mounted in the opposing side supports,the'crossbar extending substantially parallel to plaque front flat faceand along a substantially horizontal axis such that one or morematchbook covers are suspendable on the bar when the matchbook coversare closed and the bar inserted through the passages defined by theclosed matchcovers, typically there being a series of mounted barsspaced along the face of the plaque ranging from the bottom to the topthereof and all being about parallel to the horizontal axis.

2 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures MATCH-BOOK DISPLAY PLAQUE This inventionrelates to a new matchbook cover display plaque.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Prior to the present invention there haveexisted large numbers of commercial display structures such as forhanging saleable items thereon. There also have been various racks suchas tie racks, towel racks, and the like. There has not, however, priorto this invention been any suitable aesthetically appealing andpractically constructed plaque suitable for the displaying of matchbookcovers even though for many years the collection and display ofmatchbookcovers has been the hobby of thousands of persons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present inventionis to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque satisfying one or more ofthe above-noted needs.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque of simpleconstruction.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque renderingit convenient to mount and/or dismount one or more matchbook coversdisplayed or to be displayed.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque of astructure such that the cost of manufacture is held to a low minimum.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque having anornate appearance.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque makingpossible the display of a plurality of matchbook covers simultaneously.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque of astructure suitablefor neat storage and display of matchbook covers.

Another object is to obtain a matchbook cover display plaque fulfillinga plurality of two or more of the above objects.

Other objects of the present invention become apparent from thepreceeding and following disclosure.

One or more of the preceeding objects are obtained by the invention asdefined herein.

Broadly, the display plaque of the present invention is a flat-facedsurface having on at least about opposite edges thereof mountingstructures mounting opposite ends of a linear bar extendable between andmounted or mountable in each of the opposing support structures with thelinear bar extending about parallel to the flat face of the plaque andin about a horizontal direction for the bars longitudinal axis, when theplaque is mounted on a wall, for example. The one or more crossbars aremountable in the opposing mounting structures such that the bars areeasily removable for the mounting or dismounting as the case may be ofone or more matchbook covers. Typically, solely a single bar extendsbetween the respective opposing mounting structures, but it is withinthe scope of the invention to have two bars substantially in contactwith each other extending along a common axis such that the mountedmatchbooks are bound in the nature of a vise between the two linear barswhen the bars are both about adjacently mounted at about common pointsin each of the opposing support structures. However, preferably there issolely a single bar for a singly mounting position. Also, therepreferably are a plurality of bars spaced one from another, such as onenear the top of the plaque and another one or more others spacedtherebeneath in consecutive horizontal rows. Although the plaque may besubstantially rectangular in shape, it may be of any desired shape suchas a round disk, a triangular disk, a star-shaped disk, a square disk,or the like. Accordingly, depending upon the shape of the flat frontface of the plaque, the different bars may be of varying length,depending upon the particular Width of the plaque front surface atdifferent points ranging from the top to the bottom of the front face ofthe plaque. However, the length of the bars are not necessarilydependent upon the width of a particular section of the plaque frontface. For example, independent of width, in order to obtain a particularornate appearance, there may be varying arrangements of long and- /orshort bars. Similarly, instead of there being a single long barextending all of the way across the several side-by-side display spaces,there :may be a plurality of intermediate mounting support structuresfor either a single long bar and/or for a plurality of separate shortbars with the short bars each extending between two opposing supportstructures, for example, along the horizontal axis, with in this lattercase each matchbook cover being mountableon its own independent mountingbar, and each such bar being removable while other adjacent horizontallyaligned mounting bars remain in place, undisturbed. Although it isnecessary that the mounting face along which the matchbo0k(s) will hangbe receivable of the hanging matchbook(s) cover(s) such that the plaquefront surface does not undesirably push the matchbook cover(s) intounsightly positions, on the otherhand the matchbook covers may have theappearance of matchbook covers mounted one above the other in verticallyextending channels. In still another typical embodiment the entirereceptacle for a particular one or more matchbook cover(s) may be asquared receptacle, a triangular receptacle, a star-shaped receptacle,or the like, with the matchbook cover sitting or'resting or hanging backwithin a recess surrounded by typically a frame struc ture (framingstructure).

THE FIGURES FIG. 1A illustrates a side perspective view of a typicalembodiment of the plaque of the present invention, clevoid of anymatchbook covers mounted thereon. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view ofthe plaque of FIG. 1A, with the matchbook cover shown. in phantom forpurposes of illustrating the manner in which the particular matchbookcovers hang on the one or more crossbars.

FIG. 2A illustrates an embodiment having a different shape as well ashaving a different type crossbar. FIG. 28 illustrates a sidecross-sectional view taken through one of the mounting supports of FIG.2A.

FIG. 3 illustrates a triangularly shaped plaque as well as illustratingstill another type of crossbar mounted between and on the opposingsupports, as shown in front perspective view.

FIG. 4 illustrates another alternative for the supports as well as forthe mounting bart's), which in this instance represents a plastic stripslideable through the space of the supporting structures at oppositeends thereof.

FIG. 5 illustrates another shape, this being a starshaped plaque withselectively arranged horizontal sup- I port bars of still another type,this embodiment having bars which are insertable into the face of theplaque itself, the opposite bent ends of the bar serving as a part ofthe mounting supportstructures.

FIG. 6 illustrates still another variation in which the flat face of theplaque along which the mounting one or more bars extend being on anunderside, such that the mounted matchbook covers hang downwardly fromthe plaque mounted flushly against a wall, for example.

FIG. 7A illustrates another variation in which the plurality of opposingsupports or support structures form vertical channels parallelingone-another across the face of the plaque, with various matchbook coversbeing supportable one above the other in each channel; however, it ispossible, that for special aesthetic appearance, that the channels mayextend other directions such as diagonally across the face of theplaque. FIG. 78 illustrates additionally the presence of horizontalstructures as well as vertical support structures whereby each of themounting spaces is defined as a recess between framing supportstructure.

FIG. 8A illustrates an in-part view of the face of a plaque with avariation onthe .type of support structure DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THEINVENTION Referring in greater detail to the figures, FIG. 1Aillustrates a plaque 9 having a mounting ring 10 and having a'pluralityof supports Ila, llb, and the like for the mounting of a horizontal bar12, there being a plurality of other parallel bars 12a, 12b, forexample.

FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view, of the front face of theembodiment of FIG. IA. Additionally however, there is illustrated inphantom a matchbook cover 13 mounted on the bar 12.

FIG. 2A illustrates a circular disk embodiment having a mounting ring10a along a top surface thereof and having a hook type support structure110 and 11d at opposite ends of the bar 120 which has an annular shapeat each end thereof but is linear in a horizontallyextending fashionacross the face of the plaque, suitable for supporting one or morematchbook covers thereon. FIG. 28 illustrates a cross-section takenalong lines 2B-2B of FIG. 2A and illustrates more graphically theappearof the mounting structure 110 and the suspended bar 12c.

FIG. 3 differs from FIG. 2A in that the ends of the bars are of a loopshape such that the bar is permanently mounted on each of the opposingend structures which also are of a slightly different shape, these endstructures being more in the nature of staple structures at and on eachend of the bar. Note that in this type of embodiment, because as in FIG.2A the bar 12c of FIG. 2A and the bar 12d hangs loosely from theopposing support structures lle and 11f, by merely lifting upwardly in aswinging direction pivotably any one or more of the mounted bars of thisembodiment, or of the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the matchbook covers may beeasily opened, mounted around the bar, and the bar lowered withoutdisturbing other matchbook covers already possibly mounted thereon.

FIG. 3 also illustrates a triangular shape, as well as each of FIGS. 2Aand 3 illustrating differing mounting arrangements of bars of differinglengths, as possibly dependent upon the shape of the plaque forwardsurface.

FIG. 4 illustrates an in-part view of a plaque face, together with astaple-like supporting structure at each of opposite ends of asupporting bar structure, the sup porting bar structure in this casetypically being a plastic strip 12e slid at each end thereof under theflattened staples 11g and 11h.

FIG. 5, as well as illustrating a star-shaped plaque 9a havingsupporting ring 10b by which it may be hung on a nail or tack or thelike, the bars l2fand 12g mounted along parallel axes are of differentlengths, and the support structures at opposite ends thereof arerepresented by bent ends llj and 11k mounted within apertures 13a and13b, snugly insertable therein but preferably removable therefrom forthe mounting of matchbook covers. However, they need not necessarily beremovable, since the bar structure 12f may if desired be sufficientlyspaced from the face of the plaque such that the matchbook covers may beopened and placed around the bar before the closing of the matchbookcover, whereby the matchbook covers would hang suspended from thepossibly fixed bar.

FIG. 6 illustrates a major variation on the prior embodimentsillustrated above, in that the mounting face 14 of the plaque 9c is anunderside face, but of course may alternatively have the mountingstructures on a front face although for this embodiment a lower face 14is preferred for the mounting structures for both aesthetic appearanceas well as for a freeswinging mo tion of the matchbook coversthemselves. The ornate mounting bars 10d and 10d are so-shaped that theyare supportable each on respective nails or pegs or the like, or attheir adjacent surfaces 10e, there is formed a passage 10f through whicha supporting nail or the like may be utilized for the hanging of thestructure. The matchbook cover supports in this particular embodimentare at each side of each respective matchbook cover such as 11m and lln,with the respective support bar 12h, there being a separate support barfor each matchbook cover.

FIG. 7A illustrates a variation in which supports 11p, llq, and llr aremounted on a face 15 of a plaque 9d, with the supports 11p, llq, and llrbeing arranged in parallel to one-another, defining thereby channelsbetween the respective parallel supports, with apertures such as l6a,16b, etc. serving for the insertion of mounting bar or wire (forexample) l2j. The matchbook cover 13a is shown in phantom, typicallhillustrating the appearance of the mounted matchbook cover. FIG. '78illustrates a further variation in which crossparallel structures 16aand 16b join with vertical structures 11v and l lu to define a recess 17with the bar 12k extending horizontally across the recess and mountedtypically in opposing holes horizontally across the recess and mountedtypically in opposing holes such as hole 16c.

FIG. 8A illustrates typically an angle bar 18 mountable by the insertionof nails or screws such as member 19 through apertures such as aperture20, there being support apertures such as 16d. FIG. 8B differs by havingan additional shoulder 18a in addition to the shoulder 18b.

FIG. 8C illustrates a different embodiment of a bar mounting structureserving for the mounting of several bar ends, with this bar structurehaving a biting spike 19' as a continuing part of the support bar 18',this bar being illustrated in its mounted state on the surface of aplaque shown in-part.

It is within the scope of the present invention to make suchmodifications and variations and substitution of equivalents as would beapparent to a person of ordinary skill.

I claim:

1. A matchbook cover display plaque comprising in combination: aback-board plaque element having a front face with portions thereofbeing sufficiently unobstructed as to receive at least a part of asubstantially flat-surfaced matchbook cover seatable thereagainst andhaving a substantially flat back face; bar mounting means fixedlyextending from said front face; at least one elongated bar element; saidmounting means including a plurality of paired mounting elements, theindividual mounting elements of each pair being spaced laterally apredetermined distance from one-another along said face, saidpredetermined lateral distance being greater than a matchbook width, theplurality of paired mounting elements being located on the front face atabout opposite edges of at least one of said portions with at least oneof said portions being situated between each of said spaced ones of eachpair of mounting elements, and each of said paired spaced mountingelements including opposing apertures receivable of said bar elementwith the longitudinal axis of said bar element extending laterallyadjacent and about parallel to at least said one face portion, saidplurality of paired mounting elements including paired elements beingspaced from other paired elements in series downwardly along said frontface at spacing intervals each of which is of a predetermined dimensionslightly greater than a matchbooks length, the bar element extendinglaterally between said spaced mounting elements of at least one pairthereof; and a plaquehanging supporting means rendering said back-boardplaque element supportable thereby in an about upright position flatlyand flushly on an upright wall surface with the back face about flushwith the wall surface whereby matchbook covers hang downwardly when saidbar element is inserted through the cover passage defined by a closedmatchbook cover, said front face being substantially smooth along atleast one axis thereof and said mounting elements being substantiallyparallel vertical ridges extending spaced apart from oneanother apredetermined distance at least greater than a matchbook width.

2. A matchbook plaque according to claim 1 in which said face is a frontface.

1. A matchbook cover display plaque comprising in combination: aback-board plaque element having a front face with portions thereofbeing sufficiently unobstructed as to receive at least a part of asubstantially flat-surfaced matchbook cover seatable thereagainst andhaving a subsTantially flat back face; bar mounting means fixedlyextending from said front face; at least one elongated bar element; saidmounting means including a plurality of paired mounting elements, theindividual mounting elements of each pair being spaced laterally apredetermined distance from one-another along said face, saidpredetermined lateral distance being greater than a matchbook width, theplurality of paired mounting elements being located on the front face atabout opposite edges of at least one of said portions with at least oneof said portions being situated between each of said spaced ones of eachpair of mounting elements, and each of said paired spaced mountingelements including opposing apertures receivable of said bar elementwith the longitudinal axis of said bar element extending laterallyadjacent and about parallel to at least said one face portion, saidplurality of paired mounting elements including paired elements beingspaced from other paired elements in series downwardly along said frontface at spacing intervals each of which is of a predetermined dimensionslightly greater than a matchbooks length, the bar element extendinglaterally between said spaced mounting elements of at least one pairthereof; and a plaque-hanging supporting means rendering said back-boardplaque element supportable thereby in an about upright position flatlyand flushly on an upright wall surface with the back face about flushwith the wall surface whereby matchbook covers hang downwardly when saidbar element is inserted through the cover passage defined by a closedmatchbook cover, said front face being substantially smooth along atleast one axis thereof and said mounting elements being substantiallyparallel vertical ridges extending spaced apart from one-another apredetermined distance at least greater than a matchbook width.
 2. Amatchbook plaque according to claim 1, in which said face is a frontface.